Neighbours of Brighton woman reeling at arrest

Posted By JOYCE CASSIN, QMI AGENCY
Posted February 9th, 2010


Neighbours of a murdered Canadian Forces woman are reeling at news the CFB Trenton base commander has been charged with her murder.

"I'm shocked," Jocelyn Kieffer, a next-door neighbour of Cpl. Marie-France Comeau, said Monday. "We're almost all military families on this street."

Police announced Monday they charged 8 Wing CFB Trenton base commander Col. Russ Williams with the first-degree murder of Comeau and Jessica Lloyd of Belleville.

Williams, 46, was also charged with two separate sexual assault and home invasions that took place in the Tweed area in September.

Comeau, 37, a flight attendant at 437 (Transport) Squadron, was found murdered Nov. 25, 2009 at her Raglan Street home in Brighton.

To "protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation," police will concede only geography linked the incidents.

Kieffer said she is relieved Williams was arrested, but is having a difficult time dealing with the fact he is the base commander and, therefore, someone they all trusted.

"There are no words I can put into how I feel right now," Kieffer said. "I've known other base commanders and it's not something you think can happen."

Kieffer is single and turned 20 two days after the Comeau murder.

"It's not easy to deal with," the Raglan Street resident said. "Our homes are just two feet apart."

Terry Alexander, a neighbour across the street from the Comeau residence, said he's glad the situation is coming to an end.

"I hope the case is closed and we feel safe now," Alexander said. "We moved away from Mississauga to get away from this type of thing and here it is happening at my front door."

Northumberland OPP Staff-Sgt. Phil Pike said there would be no comment from the local detachment.

Members of the Northumberland OPP conducted a door-to-door investigation throughout last week, but Pike would not reveal whether their investigation contributed anything to the arrest of Williams.